Michael Charles Athens

Michael Charles Athens died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest in Singapore on January 4, 2025. He was born to Tom and Jean (Wilkins) Athens on September 25, 1971 in Wheaton, Minnesota. He joined a trio of sisters Julie, Janet and Lynn. He graduated from Fergus Falls HIgh School in 1990, where he participated in football and hockey. Friends and family remember Michael for his dry, deep, sometimes cynical, yet articulate forms of communication. After high school, he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota. After college, he lived in the Twin Cities and began tutoring immigrant students. It was while working with one of these students, in particular, that Michael discovered his true life’s calling in education. This path took him to Indonesia, where he met the light and love of his life, Jun Sidik. They married and soon established a family of three: Noah, Sarah, and Nico. Michael was a loving, devoted husband and father as well as a mentor to the students he considered lucky to teach. He was passionate about all Minnesota sports, considered peanut butter a complete meal, and loved a philosophical debate. He often performed random acts of kindness and small, meaningful gestures to make the world a better place. The family asks those who knew Michael to honor his memory by continuing these gestures. A private celebration of life was held on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, a connection between his homes.

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